How government and the economy interact

I have had a fascinating but concerning week, watching the Government commit to a giant state-planned, taxpayer-backed project in the shape of HS2, getting to know some of the surprisingly thoughtful people in the Occupy movement, speaking with Radio 4 Analysis about what is wrong with capitalism and, last night, speaking to Conservatives, LibDems and libertarians at Warwick University about the doctrine of liberty and why it matters so much today.

As I wrote in an article for The JC recently, the state has exceeded its ability to fund itself through taxation for forty years. A Ponzi scheme funded by currency debasement created the illusion of prosperity before, inevitably, breaking itself. This is the crisis we face and all of us concerned with sustainable prosperity for everyone will need to think deeply about where society heads next to best meet the general interest.